'Dog Show USA,' America's Biggest, Logs 10,000th Entry

'Dog Show USA,' America's Biggest, Logs 10,000th Entry

Proud Pet Owners Competing En Masse at http://www.dogshowusa.com

NEW YORK, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- "Dog Show USA," NBC Universal's holiday on-line competition open to mutts and purebreds alike, logged its 10,000th entry Monday as America's dog lovers continued to send photos, video and descriptions through the website http://www.dogshowusa.com/.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051220/NYTU035 )

The 10,000 entries make it by far the biggest dog show in American history.

The free competition, sponsored by Purina, is open to all canine owners. It continues through Monday, Jan. 3 with entries available in specialty categories -- Best Trick, Owner Look-Alike and Cutest Dog -- along with the traditional groups -- Herding, Hound, Sporting, Non-Sporting, Terrier, Toy, Working plus Mixed/Other for the not so sure. Winners will be determined in all the categories and one dog will be chosen "Best In Show."

Dog owners can simply go to the website, where "Dog Show USA" web host Kenan Harkin will present a series of "how to" webisodes. Contestants will have a chance to win prizes ranging from a year's supply of Purina dog food to a trip to the 2006 National Dog Show in Philadelphia.

"I'm trying to decide if it's 'Best In Show' or 'Owner Look-Alike' that I'm most looking forward to," stated John O'Hurley, the comic actor, dancer and owner of two dogs, who is one of the Dog Show USA judges. "These entries are precious, stunning, funny, regal, creative and outlandish. What I love is that it is open to every owner and dog in America."

O'Hurley will be joined on the judging panel by Westminster Kennel Club's David Frei, one of America's foremost authorities on all things canine, and Canine Health Foundation president Wayne Ferguson.

Later in January, the public will determine the ultimate winners of "Dog Show USA" through on-line and cell phone voting. The winners will be announced online on Tuesday, Jan. 31 and featured on-air during an NBC Sports broadcast on Saturday, Feb. 4.

In addition to viewing selected entries, site features that dog lovers can explore include a Dog Blog of weekly entries from a dog's point of view, a K9 countdown game where players guess the breed of dog, weekly newsletters that focus on community interests and message boards with threads from each breed group.

A complete set of the "Dog Show USA" official rules is available at http://www.dogshowusa.com/.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051220/NYTU035
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN1
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: NBC Universal Digital Media

CONTACT: Steve Griffith, +1-212-643-1068, for NBC Universal Digital
Media

Web site: http://www.dogshowusa.com/

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